11-year sentence for man who tried to smuggle drugs

A POLISH man who tried to smuggle over five kilos of cocaine through Birmingham International Airport has been jailed for 11 years.

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A POLISH man who tried to smuggle over five kilos of cocaine through Birmingham International Airport has been jailed for 11 years.

Krzysztof Zoledziejewski was arrested by officers from the UK Border Agency when he arrived on a flight from Mexico last October. Officers had discovered the Class A drug concealed in the man’s luggage.

The substance had a value of £235,000 – although the street value would have been two or three times higher. Zoledziejewski was later charged with drug smuggling offences under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.

The defendant had originally pleaded not guilty to the charges, but later changed his plea to guilty. He was sentenced to the lengthy spell behind bars at Birmingham Crown Court earlier this week.

John Theobald, from HM Revenue & Customs, said: “The sentence handed out by the courts will serve as deterrent to others involved in drug smuggling activities. This is a serious offence and individuals will face lengthy jail terms. The success of this latest operation highlights our proactive role in reducing drugs being brought into the UK.

“Our priority, in partnership with the UKBA, is to wipe out illegal drugs and their availability on city streets.”

Anyone with information relating to smuggled goods is encouraged to contact the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000 or email customs.hotline@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk.

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